2003 Chateau Lascombes, Grand Cru Classé, Margaux, France, $45. Deeply colored to the eye and very aromatic on the nose, this wine has a classic Bordeaux fragrance. Full and complex on the entry, there is no hint of overripeness from this very hot vintage. Tannins firm up on the protracted finish and demand several years of patient aging to come around. I'll probably grab a six-pack; 91/91.

Thank you for your notes. I am waiting on a few of these to be delivered.

I am beginning to be very enthusiastic about the 2003's, although I have only tasted a few of them. The last one that I had, another Margaux, the Brane Cantenac, was enjoyable and had that hint of ripeness, but not overwhelming. As much as I like the classical style, this one is not your traditional Bordeaux, but just like the most of the other '03's that I've tasted, it is enjoyable for the style.

I'm not in anyway challenging your decision to decant, but how did you know the Lascombes needed to be decanted if you didn't taste it first? Is it standard practice to always decant a Bordeaux?

Sam, I don't mind being told I'm FOS. I decant all young red wines for an hour or two; Ports for 8-12 hours. I like to open them up as much as possible. I do this with all samples as well, except I "decant" in the glass. I'm much more cautious with senior citizen wines. They get tasted right away.

Ramon, I do believe there are good wines to be had from the 2003 vintage, but I'm tasting all wines before I purchase them. The overripeness factor is very real for this vintage, and I personally do not like that quality in my wines.

you really have to be careful with this vintage. i think the lascombes was one of the most successful - and by contrast that the brane cantenac one of the least successful - weedy and stemmy. decanter mag just raved about chasse spleen - which i too found to be very attractive, but oddly, since it was decanter, i found the wine nearly 'new world' in character. of course in a big tasting, that is the style that would stand out.